Ed and Peace
by 75knicksallday
Summary: The Eds on Omaha Beach. Short only 2 or three chapters. Humor blended with action and some drama. Please Review. Any feedback is always welcome.


**On Vacation, don't feel like doing much writing hahaha. This is just a one shot to stay fresh only a chapter or two. Never really seen this around so I figured why not. The Eds in action on D-Day. Please review anyhow.**

_6__th__ June 1944 _

_Omaha Beach: Easy Green Sector _

_0635 hours. _

"How did I end up here?"

The words rang through Private First Class Edward "Eddy" Flynn's head as he bobbed up and down in the landing craft that bobbed up and down in the rough waters of the channel. He was only 5'9 but nonetheless could peer out over the side of the boat and gaze out at the ocean. Currently his mind was filled with nothing but numbers and figures. Double D was the numbers guy but Eddy was reviewing all the things he had to memorize. His army serial number. The serial number on his Thompson Submachine Gun. His squad, platoon, company, regiment and Division numbers. He was just another G.I. in another stupid boat. Despite living in a town called Peach Creek, Eddy had never been a fan of boats.

Lounging on the sand-Check

Swimming-Double Check

Creek Cruise-Minor Exception

Boat-No

BLERGH! Behind him Double D retched over the side. Eddy watched him remove his helmet, (An army jeep cap in place of his usual black sock) and dampen his brow with a small rag. Eddy couldn't help but smile despite the smell and the grumbles of the other soldiers in the craft. How he, Double D and Ed had managed to secure a spot in the same division, let alone the same company and platoon was unreal. He figured the couple bucks he slipped the recruiter when they first enlisted probably had something to do with it.

"Recruitment! " Eddy thought to himself as the craft again jerked angrily upwards. "What the hell was I thinking."

Boot camp had hardly been pleasant. He and his two pals were too Short Weak and in Ed's case, dumb as bricks to be in the Army. But the Marines would have killed them, the Navy was a no go and the Air Corps was for the birds.

"Pigeons," Eddy had said when explaining to his friends back in the States as they turned onto Main Street and in front of the post office, which was now the recruitment center. "Anyone who wants to keep his head in the clouds can leave it their. Feet on the ground and eyes on the cash…. Or something like that."

"You always tell me I got my head in the clouds though Eddy," said Ed, scratching his ear as he fell into line behind Double D.

"Not literally Ed," remarked the group's handyman and voice of reason. "Eddy, I implore you reconsider," he said turning to him with his arms outstretched. "We may very well end up fighting overseas! Plus the nutritional value of canned food and dehydrated meals is deplorable."

"Relax Sockhead," Eddy said as he fell in behind a burly looking guy whose hands were thrust into his pockets," You read the papers too much. We do our six months, come out with some dough and a medal here and there and we're set I tell ya!" Then maybe we can invest some of the money in a project or two.

"Just like the turtle races behind the school?" said Ed referencing another harebrained scam.

"I set them free Double D, free as a bird now!" interjected Ed. He smiled remembering the turtles. "There was Shelldon, Travis, Mr. Winslow, Germaine…. " A dreamy look formed on his face as he remembered the animals. "Gooood Times."

"Times were tough Double D, A guy can only plant so many trees for the WPA. " said Eddy.

The Depression hadn't hit the kids of the Cul-De-Sac too hard but it did leave them hurting. The Eds took every opportunity to scrounge and save both via their own methods and odd jobs around town. Jawbreakers were still a treat. Eddy's business savvy mind, Double D's ingenuity, and Ed's raw strength and determination had helped them to make some cash, and rake off the boredom of the days. School was boring, but a place to socialize and pull pranks.

"Hey Eddy!"

Eddy turned to see Ed offering him a stick of Juicy Fruit. He seemed unfazed by the choppy waves and the ocean spray and didn't flinch at rough patches or when he water nailed him in the face. Ed was the support gunner, The BAR man. He was the only one willing, and one of the few strong enough to lug around all that ammunition plus the 20 pounds that the rifle weighed. Instead of camouflage or seaweed, his helmet net was filled with daffodils, daisies, and other flowers a little girl had given him in Cornwall. He stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Thanks Lumpy." Eddy snatched the stick and popped it into his mouth before turning around and steadying himself again. Around him the guns of the German artillery could be heard splashing and exploding all around him. Yet Eddy was oddly calm. The night before, while on ship, he had tried to play off his fears with his usual cockiness and laidback attitude but instead found himself sweating and shaking. Double D had ceased his debating and gone silent while Ed had openly cried.

Yet now, Eddy felt fine, it was bizarre. He remembered is brother had sent him a long letter telling Eddy how great the weather was in the South Pacific and a whole bunch of BS about the native girls and how many Japs he had killed, and how Eddy was still a big baby. That was his first letter. The next one was a lot shorter and totally sincere. Eddy's big brother sounded like a little kid, not some big tough, (asshole some might say) Marine. He told Eddy to be careful at night and to always try and find a buddy on a patrol and how waiting to go into battle was sometimes worse then the action itself.

Maybe it was because the battle seemed so far away. Despite the sounds of the engines and the artillery and machine guns chattering, the battle was on the beach, not in the landing craft. Well, aside from Double D's battle to keep his breakfast in his stomach.

"Damm that's smooth," thought Eddy, slipping back to his usual wise cracking self. His inner monologue and comedic genius was interrupted by a cry from the boat's coxswain.

"You fellas got 2 minutes! Good luck to everybody! That beach don't look like Nebraska to me!"

There were one or two chuckles from the men but mostly they were silent.

"Mine was funnier," thought Eddy. At the front of the craft was the lieutenant of the platoon. He was only a few years older than Eddy, only 23 or 24. He was around 6'2 and had a piercing set of eyes colored grey. Beneath his helmet, blonde hair was all over the place. He was just another kid who tried his chances at OCS and got in. Double D was ranked the highest out of the three friends, being a Corporal and all. He was resident engineer and communications specialist.

"Listen up men!" the lieutenant began as he tried to steady himself. "Get out of the boat as fast as you can. Hit the beach and stay low as you can. Our primary objective is to breach the shingle at the top of the beach and then clear out the bunkers on top! Be sure to work together and as a team" With that he turned around and took a large swig from his canteen.

"Inspiring," murmured Eddy under his breath. The guy sounded like Kevin before a football game back home.

Home

He turned back around and glanced again at Double D who had finally stopped tossing the contents of his stomach overboard to check his equipment. Ed was doing the same thing as he loaded the BAR. Eddy figured he might a well follow suit and he saw that the rest of the platoon was doing the same thing. He patted down all of the gear, clips, and tools to make sure everything was there before loading his Thompson and staring out at the shore, now closer then other. Suddenly, he was racked by a spasm that coursed through his whole body. It only lasted for a brief second, but it left him sweating like crazy and what's more, it was a freezing, stabbing feeling.

"Bro was right, for once," gulped Eddy, not trying to joke around anymore. His teeth chattered as he gripped his gun.

"30 seconds!" shouted the coxwain. "God help you!" He was apparently done joking too.

The lieutenant was in some sort of half crouch, he looked like a sprinter ready to start the 100 meter dash. His left leg lay behind him while his right lay pointed towards the ramp of the landing craft. His knees were bent and his rifle was slung around his body. He stood perfectly still.

"Another good scam gone bad." The thought entered Eddy's head and quickly floated away. They had really got him good now. The guns were literally pointed at him.

"PHWWEEEEEEP!" The whistle shrieked through the air louder then the artillery shells. The large ramp at the front of the craft shuddered for a moment, then toppled onto the shallow water and the sands of the beach.

"LETS GOOOO!" screamed the lieutenant as he dashed out of the boat. Eddy felt himself screaming and howling with the rest.

Despite himself, he couldn't help but think and joke. He was going to get his money's worth out of this.


End file.
